Baler



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Filed March 30, 1944 W. W. TRANTER ETAL BALER Pnl/77er S/aac e 5 Shets-Sheet 1 July 4, i956 w. w. TRA'NTER Erm.

BALER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 1944 Syvum/VM M1502? WDC-mrc?" fdm zz mi M. Asbrzcge July 4, 1950 w. w. 'rRANTl-:R ETAL BALER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 30, 1944 July 4, 1950 w. w. TRANTER ETAL 2,513,690'

BALER Filed March 50, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fogL 109 1095 INVENTORS WA Tso/v w. THA/wm BY ,L1A/mr c. Hou/Noel? ATTORNEY Patented July 4, v1950 FarquharJGompany, York;

, iEennsylvania Pa., aeorp'nration of @alienation Mar/@11130, 1944, sevrn1N0.52s,744,

traveling over "the ground, thev jredot-ion 'of Weight to a minimum is Aimportant lboth asl-lto the :Weighto'f the machine fitself and lalso fthe )number of operatives-topecarried *.In "the vma'ohinf-Js Where an `operative sits on the ins-ideof fa combined loader r and dba'ler. #the dust ,and Vchair from the V"loader Side .makqs it 1 di'ioult AA-fon-tile vopera-tive to see arid-perform :l lhiswork. f i

A primary object pfthis invention-asimismside of 'the 'machineffwithout "direction by-an operative and'in'jsuch a manner-that asithelbales are successively formed, `tlie'lv/ire ends fior the operative mayetie the Wires.

' Another objectoi the invention is "the provision of anf improved fand simplified Ilnecflianism `loaleswill fbeon "the samegside so theta-single for driving-the needlesfto a-'point onvthe-oii'tside Vof the bale-r and -ipla'eingithe wirelendslinpositiontobeted. 'A Y A further object lof the invention f'lisf-the provision '--df an improved belier wherein t'he needle pushes the Wire to the opposite side ofvihevmac hinewhere `itis/held and ouh-the. mity end-ibeing the side of theanaoliine 1 Aistil-l rfurther objeet'-'of 'the invention lis Athe --provision -of a `baler` wher-ein the Jneedle passes a. loop of wire to the side "of 'theimaohinefad- Ijacent the seat of `the operative, lafter which the Wire is `grippedand cut,;one end being free, after being yout, to be :placed inafholding means "which is -released v'as ftl1efneXt-gripping operation :takes place.

vA still further object of the invention :isi'the .i

provision oan `improved and simplified .mechanismy for. passing lthe -wire 4across .the Lbaling space of a baler fromY one of its four .sides .to `'the opposites'ide, with .means for holding `and :ottingfthe wire tofen'ableJtheY ends `to befplace'd- .in-positiontobefsecured together. y

A still further object 4of the .invention v:is v.the

`provision of fa fbaler wherein athe -:need1e .f'foiices a loop of Wire across the balingwspace after .'Wliich, vvone side. of 7the :loop Vis held by .a gripping .2

imean's the other side being severedromithe gripped n side at l substantially Athe 4same -j-tme.

i yOther v'and farther-'objects Ao'f-" tl1einvention -Will -beapparent to thoseiskilled-inthe art from 'af-reading of thee' complete speeica-tion i #and claims. i

' Referring to the drawing whereinf-isiillustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. n

Fig. l is La perspectivelviewho'f theibalershowling a `general lelevational view, parts of--the #bailar which are conventional beingbrokeneway or Jomitted. l n y Fig.l 2 fis fa .:plan '-'vieW of '--the needle `l'operating mechanismwiththeiront o`f=the jmachine lait the topofthe-figure y Figf.-3 isffap'lan Yview o fthe` need-le end, :its adjaeeritfglri-pping means land ithe miren-cutter showing'theirlrolationitotheneedle i Fig. Ji isla -perspecti-ve view `of fthe gripping and Vvcutting Lmeohanism showing the yJpath followedby the `vviivemelative- A:to .the bale. one mine vcoil beingomitted.l K

rJFig. SHisVanKenlarged iview of the match meehanism of-FigxQ. l i

y Fig.. 611s alcross-sectionofionei guidefa'ndfneedle -ontheli'neLSL-i olFig.

Fig'.Ak ia-iisf-a. `eross-seotion :ofI iboth needles fand :guidessimilarfto-Fg. 6. rf I Figs. '7 and 8 are side and bottom Iiviews re-` `speotivelyof:theneedlei v Figs. 9 vand 4121D :are views :.fromi'side fand `mear SOithe'Wi-reaguide shownoniFigiB. z

A(Eig. .111 is'l'fa; side-wiew *.of .itllieitniipping AJmeehanism for=starting2theneed1e .operationp Figs '1,-2Jand-1r3 rare Adetail".views;o'fitl'ie cutter VH15.

Figli-4: isla perspeetiveiview oi-the fb'ellyorank 1.25. .c

@Eiger-:l5 UQQ" Y I .v i A l'ligliis fa -sideview ofrfthe,` stationary .cutter Figs. 2118.ar1d 19 ameixdetail'fviews Ofiline .fstaitionarygripill. f i,

fliigs. zzpfand .2 1 are i'detail views 'oi a :modied form of the movable gripper mie/ans .ishoivneon fsimilarireferenoe eharaoters reieritoatheisame .fori similar .aparts `:throwshout fthe vespeoiiiat'orl and drawingwi. i i

@In i bag-1ers; zit has sheen; found rato 'gbe 'minne ,1 advantageous .toflrave .fa `needle operi-zating meanranism which gives'fa relatifvelgv.` slowiamooement of its movement and; a 1.relativeiyy irapid fmwee and '16 are detail viewsiof `ctheiignipper tion to operate by a spring IIB. The lever isp end to a link I2. The opposite end of the link I2 is pivoted to a bell crank I3 fulcrumed at |3aL on the main frame l0. ,Thelink I4 opera-1 tively connects the other armor the. bell crank I3 to one arm of a bell crank lever'l5, also fulcrumed on the main frame I at |511. On

4 single cycle. Connected to the slide tube 26 is a pin-bearing 21 upon which is pivotally mounted one end of an operating link 28. This link 26 is connected to one end of a swinging arm 20 which pivots bodily about a pivot 30. Also pivoted on this pivot 30 is an arm 3| which carries a sliding block 32. Pivotally connected between the free end of the arm 29 and the block 32 is a 10. fulcrumed at IIb and is connected at its inner A,

the other arm of the lever I5 is pivoted a releasing member |51 provided with a rule-joint, as at :ISFwhich engage the upper portion of the bale `being formed and as .the latter moves in being formed, the star Wheel revolves. The star wheel is of a size such that its periphery will be equal .to thev length of the bale tobe formed. In the present illustration the star Wheel I6 is nonadjustable. On the shaft of lthe star wheel I0 is a short arm |61 which engages a hammer operating arm of the bell hammer I1. The hammer |1 4 is in position to ring the bell I8 as the arm |61 operates the hammer |1, once at the end of .each revolution of the starL wheel I6. The ringing of the bell |8 is the signal that the bale --being formed is of the*v proper size to be bound;

whereupon the operator moves the' handle of the lever I to his right to operate the bell crank lever I5 to cause its releasing member |51 to release the catch mem-ber 23 which in 'turn'releases the needle operating latch which will now be described.

The cross head on the plunger of the -usual and conventional type of baler, carries a pin 2| which registers with a latch 22 whichis released -bysuitable operating means, already described,

when the bale becomes of suicient size to require binding. A catch 23 with a detent 24' normally holds the latch 22 so that it is not in position to be caught by the pin 2|. However, when the bale is of suicient size to be bound, ,the releasing `member |51 is moved by the handle II, as already described. This member |51"en gages the end of the catch 23 and moves it against the spring 24HL to cause the detent 24 to disengage from the latch 22. The spring 25 now pulls the latch 22 to the position shown -in Fig. 2, ready to be engaged by the pin 2| at the end of its next stroke. f i

With the latch 22 in position for operation, as shown in Fig. 2, the cross head 20 on its next stroke causes its pin 2| to engage the slant face 228 forcing the latch 22 to one side andto 'then enter the operating slot 2-21, the sprng'25 continuously tending to force the latch 22 .to operative position. With the reversalr ofv movement, the catch 22 which is mountedon the f needle voperating slide tube 26 movesthelatter Afor a link 33. On one side of the sliding block 32 is a `cam roller 34 which engages a cam slot 36. It

is to be noted that the cam slot 36 is of irregular shape. During the iirst part of the stroke, the

" than during the latter part of the stroke.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the fast moving part of the cam is .constructed on the arc of a circle. On the return stroke, the pin 2| engages an abutment 2611 which is rigidly attached to the slide tube 26, and returns the slide tube 26 to its initial position. The first portion of this return movement is fast `while the latter portion of the movement is relatively slow.

Pivot'ed to the free end of vthe swinging arm 3 I .is a link 31 which is connected to a needle operating frame 38. Perpendicular to the baler frame are guides 39 in which are mounted for sliding movement, the needles' |00. The frame 3,8 is connected to and moves the needles |00 in the guides 39. 1

There are two needles |00, one above the other to take care of the two wires with which the bales are bound. As the operation of the needles and their coacting devices isidentical, the operation of only one will be described in detail. Y

Referring to Fig. 4, the baling wire I0| is held from displacement in the guide`40 on the inside of the baling frame. y y v,

In- Fig. 4 is illustrated diagrammatically the path of the baling wire and the position ofone of the needles asit 'starts to contact the wire prior to forcing it through the baling space.

The wire I0| feeds out of a coil box 4|, through an eye 42a to a guide pulley 42 over which the Wire passes to pulleys v43, 44 mounted at suitable places on the main frame I0. From the pulley 44, the wire passes to a -pulley 45 located adjacent the guide 40, already described.

In the end of the needle |00 is a pulley |02 which forces the wire across the path of the baling mechanism. i

The needle |00 has a cut away portion |00a and a shoulder |001) for a purpose to be presently described. y

Below the pulley |02 is a rounded end portion |00c ofthe needle which is used to operate the cutter in a manner to be described. 1

On a supporting bracket |03 is mounted a guide |04 which guides the needle in the outer portion of its travel.l

A wire cutting member I 05. has an arm |05* for operating the gripping means and a short arm |051 which contacts and is operated by the neevdie end |000. The cutting member |05 is provided with another arm |05d which carries the cutting edge |056.

The cutting member |05,is;pivotally mounted at 05c on the side bracket |06 in such a manner that when it is moved pivotally, the cutting edge will coact with a stationary cutter member |01 mounted rigidly on thebracket |06. The outer end of the arm |05d is provided with a curved guide |058, tapered outwardly, which serves as a lifting means for the wire I0 I, to guide the same into a position for cutting.y

The two arms |05b and |05c1 are so placed with emanan relationnto` each tether,l and :toA the. path Loirxthe needie and aisotor theipiv'ot.: 'liliev of.v the .avm |05, that as the forward end |00c of the needle. pushesagainst .the arm llthecarm will betoreed into the Vcut.fai/ray portion;v |009 of. the needle m0. 'Ii-ris. actionf is .brought about'. bythe forward portion |00 oithe needlel pushing against the .arm web' :andi .pivoting .the cutter member-.iilabout itspivot |1059 4The pivot |059, islcloseenoughto'theneedle .so thatthe needle cutaway portion idea receives .the arm.' |05d iwhen the needle-is. extended. .l Whenthe needle with drawn, the inner face. |001? .engages the side-.of the arm. -tild which. operates. the .cuttingmember and brings the edgeoithe arm. |051into the vertical .plane .oi the side of the needle 400, a shown in dotted 'lines in Figure. .3.

Mounted adjacentthe sideoftheneedle |00. is a gripping means. which holds lthe wire while and after it is. .cut as will new:bedescribed...`

gripping .device consists of a,y stationary grip |03 which is mounted rigidly relatively to the bracket |05,andthe-pivotedwire gripper |09. The grhmer |00 nasa toethed edge-|0which moves close enough to the Vgrip |0050 that after the wire is out, the tendency from the .resiliency ofl the bale .to pullthe Wire inwardly Wil-l bind the same and hold it against movement. The

'outer end of the grippery |09. has a slot willl in |019@ thereof, isa wiresguiding nger.. 109C..

which guides the wire downwardly-to. griimingrpof-` sition. Acting alsoasa guide tomove'the -wireto cutting position' is afcuttelr inger |01@ integral.

with the cutter member |012. The fngeniilexdri-.the tyirrgfafterftcrmationof the bale, there an provided apair or wiresholding means. Y 'A Adjacent .to the gripperV and cutter means .and

atfsomefdistance therefromA the direction of y trai/clef .the Lbal'e,y .there is mounted an upright standard which is rigidly connected to the frame;-

. This standardisdesignated |20.

tends toward the needle lilijust .shertzof.oontaei'eA 'f ing it when the needle. .is lin extended position. As the needle. li mpushesf the -wireiout to cutting'. posi-` tion, the nger |01a guides the wirezdownwardly to. gripping andcuttingpositinn. i When the. Wire is so guided to. gripping pnsit-ion, .the-grippernger. liBC'holds the. wire fromjmnping from be?.

arm of the gripper member |092 and tends tov 'ma-lie the latter rotate .clockwiseas .illnstratedin Fig. 3. Sincethelink llilfconnectsxtne'arm |05a and the gripperslot |09b, movement ofthe grip.

per .|09 under influence. of. thespring |12 will also. cause a` tendency'of the arm |05? to move.

clockwise, as illustrated.

On the side of the needle .ltisagroovedwire guide llld which ismountedzrigidly on the needle iet in a position which. whenfthe..needlejsiatfits most advanced position, will be nclose tothe gripe per |09. As the Wire is*Y pushed sidewise'somewhat into the cutfavvay portion I'by the cute ter. |05d the-groove of the guide H30l tends toA assist in placing the wire imposition torbe gripped bythe gripper |09 and'tobe cutl bythe cutter |01. A groove |04EL at the' side of -the lneedle,patlfiprof` vides space for the .wirewasithe needlegenters. .the

guide IM, y

the formation. of. a baleisstarted, the Wires have toi be placed acrossthe balingspace. Inorder to. insure .that there-will be Isuieiem: wire :te

*Mounted'on .one side are apair of Wirey holdfing means .consistingof a .stationary member |2l1. and a pivoted holding member |2| having coactingmeans to grip. .the wires and hold them. Each holding. member 1.1.2.4. has .two 'projectingl arms Mdm-1:12 lib.. r'I'.hevarms |2|`bco0perate Withanautomatietripping .device which trips and releases bothwire holding members |2| simultaneously. The Iarms |211@ are used for hand control of the holding `means ivhenthe wires are inserted.

nroneside .of the upright member is a slide member. |22 which is supported loosely yon the upright with free but limited vertical movement.,H Boltsy |23. pass through slots |22a andare supportedl in .the upright |20. Trip arms |22b are integrali-Withthefslide member |22 and extend into. position toengage. the, respective .arms |2|1b off the kholding members |2| when.v the slide |.22is raised.. A lifting link |24 is pivoted at. one end te. an .extension |22c oi the slidemember |22 and atzits upper. end to an .arm of .a .bell crank lever` 12:5; rlhebell crank lever 1.2.5 is pivotally mounted von arms |.2-.6 mounted rigidly. on the uprigh member |20.

Connected to the'fother arm of the belleraiily lever |25 is oneendxof a rod |21. 'Ihisrod |21 when it moves to the right as illustrated, turns the bell cranlclever |25.` and by means of the conf-1 nectinglink |2d; raises the slide |22. AS the eX- tensions ortrip arms. |22b contact theirrespec-f. tivearmss-lZib, theholdingmembers |2| release the Wires |0| from their coacting gripping means.`

The rod |21 is connected at its .other end to a bell.. crank lever arm |28 which is. mounted on the lshaftlZS.- The shaft |29. is mountedpivoteally atthe bottomv ofthe baler frame .and carries atv the inner side, another arm |30. On the upf. per rend of.y the arm. |30 isa spring-.pressed detent ISF-which is in position to. ber engaged bythelug |32 mounted on .the needle operating. a slide 111336.26'.

. In loperationas the needley operating slide tube 215L moves. to theleft as illustrated in 1, vthe de. tent |31 islforced down as the lug|32 passes. `On return,when moving vto the right asillustratedthe detent |31 withthe arm |30 and the shaft I 29. to.- gether with. the arm .|28 are forced in a cloclrn wise direction, as killustrated on Fig. 15 untilthe lug L32 rides over theitop of the detent. |34.. This causes the.rod.|2f1 to; operate thebell crank lever |25 :to-.liftthe slide.|22..to. operateto releasethe l holding members |.2|,V and in turn` to releasexthe wiresy for apurpose. to be later described.` f: In Figs.` 20 and 2;1.,Lthere isillustrated a modied formioitiie gripping `member |09.-r In thisiorm, thexgripper 209 has a; .toothed surface 20da and a slot 20gb, but instead oi vbeing provided'witha finger, there is; provided aguidel lip ezvfhich extends over thepath of the wire |00 and fortes the Wire. to. vits place between the.v grip |03 Aand thetootbed surface Zeer.' *y .'besoneration of. the machine'as a Whole will llowbe. described.. H i

' balies. operationhaving been started` in. the wel-Mmorm manner` l,with the Wires heldr bythe-holding.. members 12|, hay or other material is fed/into. the balingppress andthe. Well-,known nlungerelternately presses the ,hay or otherrnatee rial into the bale being formed and then Withdraws to permit more material to be put into the bale chamber in front thereof. As the formation of this bale continues, the Wire being secured by holding member l2 is pulled around the end of the bale nrst formed. When it is time to complete and tie one bale and start forming a new bale, the bell 8 located adjacent to the star wheel I6 rings, signalling the operator, who in turn pushes lever located on top of the baler. This trips catch 23 which allows the latch 22 to come into a position where it may be engaged by the pin 2| of the crosshead 20. As the crosshead 20v reverses its movement, the pin 2| and the latch 22 start the needle operating mechanism to drive the needle across the baling chamber, pushing the wire |0| into the cutting and gripping mechanism as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the wire |0| is caught by the teeth |09El and gripper |08. As the needles return, the wire |0| is cut by cutting members |e and |01 leaving one wire end gripped by the members |08 and |09 and one looped end wire free. As this operation takes place, the upright grippers |2| are released through mechanism |22 as already described, Fig. l. -At this" point of operation, the operator manually clamps the loose looped end wire by the holding members |2|. While this operation is `being done, the bale in the chamber is being formed and moved along the bale chamber, pushing the wire around the end of the bale the wire end being gripped by the gripper |09. After the operator manually clamps the wire |0| by holding member |2|, he now immediately, by pushing lever |05 releases the wire held by the gripper |09. This releases wire |0| forV completing the tie of the bale, which is performed manually. 'As the manual operation is `being carried out, a new bale is being formed.

1 The looped end of the Wire for the new bale, as already stated, is being held by holding member |2|. When the new bale is ready to be tied,

the operation of the manual lever causes thev pin'2l on the crosshead 20 to engage the latch opening 22"` and the needles again-bring in wire loopsfwhich are caught by the gripping devices |08, |09 and cut by the cutters |05@ and |01. On reaching its former position, the pin 2| 'overrides the opening 22b to position the latch` 22 for engagement by the detent 24. By the same action, the end of the catch 23 pivots the depending pivoted end I5b which latter is restored by the spring |5d. At this point, the detent 24 engages thelatch 22 to hold it retracted from operative position andthe cycle is complete.

As the movement of the latch 22 begins the forward movement of the needle operating slide tube 26, the link 28 begins to swing the arm 29. This causes the link 33.to pull on the sliding block 32. As the block'32 is mounted on the swinging arm 3| and since its movement is, by the cam roller 3-4, coniined to movement along the cam slot 36, movement of the block 32 takes place under this control.

It will be noted that the nrst part of the cam slot 36 which is followed by the cam roller is more nearly radial with relation to the pivot 30 of the swinging arm 3|, than the last part of the cam slot 36, which in the embodiment illustrated is constructed on an arc about pvot 30 as center. Due to this construction, for a given movement of the needle operating slide tube 26, there will be a less movement ofthe swinging arm 3| during the initial part of the stroke, vthan during the last part of the stroke, This initial slow movement,

pulls theneedle |00,V through the frame I8 and the. link:` 31, slowly to start the needle on its movement.' f l "One advantage ofthe slow starting movement is Ithat there isfless liability of breaking the wire as the roller pulley |02 of the needle |00 begins to force the wire through the baling space. As the pulley |02 with the needle |00 passes through the baling space,v the wire is fed from the usual wire coil box 4|. As the needle |00 at its outer end `|00c pushes against the arm |05b of the cutter |05, the cutter member |05 will be pivotally moved. Thisl movement causes the arm |05d of the cutter member to swing into the recess |00' of" the needle |00. This causes the wire to ride up onthe slope |05li adjacent the cutting edge |05e. Near the end of the movement of the arm |05d into the recess |00, the wire passes over the end of the slope |05g of the arm |05, the wire dropping 'into position between the cutting edge .|05e of the cutter |05, and the stationary cutter|01.

,.At-'the same time, the wire is assisted in its movement to a position between the two cutter members |05e, |01, by the cutter iinger |019. Also at the same time, the wire drops behind the grip lug` |08. Since the movement of the cutter |05 by the needle |00, also moves the gripper |09, through the link ||0, to open position, the wire drops in place to be gripped between the toothed edge |09it of the gripper |09 and the grip lug |08.

When the' needle begins to move back to its initial, inoperative position, by means of a reversalof movement of the parts 26, 21, 28, 29, 3|, 32, 33, and 34, the wire loopis left in place and as theshoulder |00b engages the arm |05d, the cutter memberV |05 reverses its movement. The spring ||2 operates to close the toothed edge 09a against the grip lug |08 with the result that the wire is rmly held in place. The guide finger |09 assists to prevent the wire |0| from escape from the gripping means until the wire is rmly held.

Continued movement of the needle toward inoperativelposition causes the cutting edges |05 and |01 to cut the wire immediately after it is gripped between thel gripping means |09a and |00. Since as the needle recedes, it leaves the wire loop", lthe cutting of the wire results in a short end gripped in the gripping means and a long end which is to' become a part of the wire for the new bale juststarted. As the needle operating slide tube 26 starts its return movement simultaneously causing the needle to recede, the lug |32 engages the detent |3|, turning the shaft |29, swingingthearm |28, pushing the rod |21, turning the -bell crank |25 to lift the releasing slide |22. -This,"through'the lugs |22b, turns the holding means`l2ll. At about this time, the operative has taken the wires in his hand so that when the releasing action takes place he can remove the -wires from ,the holding means.

VThe .completed bale `now moves through the baling frame with the new bale being formed in front of it as the old bale is` pushed toward the discharge end of the baler. One end of the wire at the rear of the bale having been released from the holding means |2|, the other end which is held by the-gripper |09, pulls the wire around the baleas'the` formation of the new bale progresses. Inftthis way 'there isa longer'free piece of wire on the gripper end than when the gripping took place.,` The arms |05'l are now manually engaged toA release the grippers |09. The ends of the wire will-fnow be free for tying with the ends released cutter to cut the wire adjacent the gripping means and the holding device to release its wire, all substantially at the same time. y

13. In a baling machine, a balerneedle having a wire-bearing surface, a cutter, a wire gripping means and a wire-holding device for securing the wire after it has been cut, means for driving the needle slowly in the initial and last portions of its movement and faster during the other portions, and coacting, means for causing the gripper to grip the wire, the cutter to cut the wire and the holding device to release the wire,all at substantially the same time.

14. In a baling machine having a bale-,forming means, a baler needle having a wire-bearing surface substantially 4on its 'axis and adjacent its forward end, means for forcing the needle through the path of the bale-formingl means, a wire-gripping means adjacent the place of limit of needle travel, a wire-cutting means separate from the needle and adjacent the gripping means for severing the baling wire, and coacting means between the needle and gripping means to operate the gripping means by the needle.

15. In a baling machine havingl a bale-for1ning means, a baler needle having a wire-bearing surface substantially on its axisand adjacent its forward end, means for' forcing the needle through the path of the bale-forming means, a wire-gripping meansadjacent the place of limit of needle travel, a wire-cutting means separate from the needle and adjacent the gripping means for severing the baling wire, and coacting means between the needle, gripping and cutting means to operate the two latter by the needle.

16. In a baling machinea baler needle having `a wire-engaging surface substantially at its axis and adjacent its forward end, means for forcing the needle point through a predetermined path, a Wire-cutting means adjacent the path of the needle to receive the wire from the needle, and a wire-gripping means adjacent the path of travel of the needleand in Iposition to receive the wire, the needle and cutting means having coacting surfaces therebetween for operating the cutting means by the needle after the wire has entered the gripping means. n

17. In a baling machine, a balerneedle having a ywire-engaging surface substantially at its axis and adjacent its forward end, wire-gripping means, wire-cutting means, means for forcing the needle through a predetermined path, means operating in co-ordination with the needle to guide the wire into gripping position in the gripping means, and `means 'under control of the needle for causing operation of the cutting means 1ziind gripping means at substantially the same 18. Infa baling machine having a bale-forming means, a baler-'needle' having a wire-engaging surface substantially atv itsv axis and adjacent its forward end, means' for 'forcing the'needle across the path of the' bale-forming means, a, wirecutting means, wire-gripping means, and "means under control of the needle for operating the cutting means and the gripping means, including a connection between the lcutting means and' the gripping means for operating the latter by the former,

19, In a baling machine having a bale-forming` means, a baler needle having a wire-engaging surface substantially at its axis and adjacent its forward end, means for forcing the needle across the path of the bale-forming means, a wirecutting means and a wire-gripping means adjacent the place of limit of needle travel, the wiregripping means being under control of the movement of the wire-cutting means, and means oper-v ated by the needle to operate the cutting means and gripping means.

20. In a baling machine having a bale-forming means, a baler needle having a wire-engaging surface substantially at its axis and adjacent its forward end, means for forcing the needle across the path of the bale-forming means, a wire` gripping means, a wire-cutting means, the wiregripping and wire-cutting means being in position to receive the wire carried by the needle during a portion of its stroke, coacting means between the needle and cutting means to operate the cutting means by the movement of the needle, and an operating connection between the gripping means and cutting means whereby the cutting means and gripping means are operated to cut and grip the baling wire during another portion of the movement of the needle.

21. In a'baling machine having a bale-forming means, a baler needle having a wire-engaging surface substantially at its axis and adjacent its forward end, means for forcing the needle across the path of the bale-forming means, a wirecutting means, a, wire-gripping means, and means for placing the wire-cutting and wire-gripping Ameans in position to receive the baling wire during movement of the needle in one direction and to cause operation of the Iwire-cutting and wiregripping means when the needle moves in the opposite direction.

22. In a baling machine having a bale-forming means, a baling needle having a wireengaging surface substantially on its axis and adjacent its forward end and having a cut-away portion, means for forcing the needle across the path of the bale-forming means, a wire-gripping means adjacent the needle path, and a wire-cutting means separate from but operable by a surface ofthe needlev to place the cutting means and gripping means in position to receive the baling wire during one portion of the needle travel, the wire-cutting means and gripping means being operable by a surface of the cut-away portion to cut and grip the baling wire during another portion of the needle travel.

WATSON W. TRANTER. EDMUND M. ASBRIDGE. HARRY C. HOLLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS 

